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Wednesday, November 23, 2016

15-Minute Orange Cranberry Sauce comes together in minutes with ingredients you most likely already have on hand. This gorgeous deep red cranberry sauce is naturally sweetened with honey and flavored with citrus for a refreshing, tart, slightly sweetened sauce.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Southern California is finally beginning to feel like fall. We even had a good thunderstorm this weekend - It was perfect! Needless to say, I spent most of the weekend in my favorite leggings, lit all the pumpkin candles and baked these pumpkin spice cookies complete with chai icing.

Grain-free pumpkin spice cookies filled with AIP friendly spices and drizzled with chai icing. You read that right...paleo "icing" is a thing. Of course I had to step it up even further with chai. Give me all the chai!!

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Lately I have been on a mission to eliminate as many toxins from my daily life as possible. After doing a little research I was appalled to find out the long list of toxic ingredients lurking in so many of my daily beauty products. From makeup to face wash, moisturizer, body wash, shampoo, nail polish...even toothpaste! I was blown away.

I love a good DIY, so I decided to make my own Cinnamon Vanilla Sugar Scrub.

This scrub smells AMAZING and is perfect for the fall season! The scent will have you thinking of all things fall and pumpkin spice.

It's made with only a few ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and is so simple to make. Coconut and almond oil sooth dry dull skin, organic cane sugar exfoliates, cinnamon and vanilla provide a warm scent, and a touch of apple cider vinegar brings your skins pH levels back into balance while preventing mold and mildew in the scrub.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

I have had a weak immune system for as long as I can remember. Changing my diet to focus on whole foods has helped me to strengthen my immune system and has made my body much less susceptible to catching colds.

This week my stress and lack of sleep has finally gotten the best of me and what do you know, I caught the cold that's been going around. When I catch the occasional sniffles, these are the natural cold remedies that I live by. It's also a great idea to follow these tips for cold prevention!

Monday, May 2, 2016

Hands down this is the best paleo turkey chili I've ever tasted and one of my all time favorite clean eating recipes. This recipe is quick and easy, very healthy, paleo (you won't even miss the beans), and perfect for meal prepping as it makes a big batch that can be enjoyed all week long!

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Raise your hand if you're relieved it's the weekend! RAISES HAND! I'm enjoying every minute of this weekend of rest and hope you are as well!

Last week I began the Tone It Up Bikini Series. This is one of my favorite annual fitness challenges. The Tone IT Up (TIU) girls really are amazing and their workouts are no joke. I have not taken the plunge and become an official TIU member, but it's something I've been strongly considering. If you haven't already, you must check them out!

Sunday, April 17, 2016

In my last post I talked about why I'm committing to 30 days on the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) and shared my plan for success. I've been following the AIP diet for about a week now and so far my experience has been wonderful. My symptoms have decreased incredibly and I can feel my body starting to heal. I'm also getting better sleep and seeing reduced anxiety which has been fabulous.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Every time I do my shopping at Trader Joe's I could literally spend hours wandering around the aisles. I don't because, well that would just be silly and ain't nobody got time for that, so I have to resist the urge. I just love everything in there! They have the best selection of healthy, seasonal, and organic food sold at a reasonable price. Plus they have other fabulous things like flowers and WINE...since today is #winewednesday I recommend you get yourself to Trader Joe's after work and pick up a bottle. You're welcome!

Monday, March 28, 2016

I hope you had a beautiful Easter weekend! We spent ours sleeping in, relaxing, and doing what we love best...eating and drinking all the yummy things! The Hubs surprised me with brunch reservations at one of our favorite restaurants, Fig & Olive in Newport Beach.

Fig & Olive is known for using the best olive oils, flavors, and ingredients from the Mediterranean region. Some of my favorites from the dinner menu include zucchini carpaccio and the whole roasted Branzino which is served tableside. It is quite the stunner!

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Happy Easter weekend! I hope you're enjoying your time with friends and family doing what you love! If you're still looking for brunch inspiration here are 10 Recipes for a Healthy Fabulous Brunch that will get you in the spirit of springtime! The Hubs and I had an AMAZING brunch yesterday at one of our favorite restaurants. I can't wait to share the details with you!

Friday, March 25, 2016

High five for SPRING! The glorious time of year when the sun stays out later in the day and I don't want to cry when I get off work because it's still dark outside...yeeaaahhhh #thestruggleisreal. In all seriousness...this season gives me all the feels. The weather is warming up, the sun is out longer, everything is beautiful outside and so is the food! What is it about springtime food that is so pretty?!

I wanted to give you some inspiration for your Easter menu this Sunday! From sweet to savory, and we of course need some cocktails...I've got you covered!

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Now that the Bachelor has ended I'm wondering what I should do with my Monday nights?!
I suppose I can give this little blog some more love and write up this frittata post for you!

Almost every week I prepare an egg bake like this one for breakfasts during the week. You can even serve this for dinner with a leafy green salad! We never get tired of eating it because I switch up the ingredients each week. One week I'll do sweet potatoes and the next I'll do russet potatoes. I'll also switch up the veggies and protein inside. You get the idea!

Sunday, March 20, 2016

I hope you're enjoying a beautiful weekend! This week I'm craving all the flavors of spring inspired by fresh and colorful veggies and herbs. We didn't have the chance to really celebrate St. Patty's day last week and are making up for it with a crockpot corned beef on this weeks menu!

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

This Italian girl loves some zucchini noodles! My husband surpised me with a spiralizer for my birthday last year and I have been in love ever since!

One of my favorite things to do on a Sunday is make a batch of slow cooked Bolognese sauce. This Turkey & Mushroom Bolognese has all the flavors of a slow cooked sauce but is easy enough to prepare on a busy weeknight.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Making time to workout is so important for your health and wellbeing. Don't let your efforts go to waste by having too much sedentary sitting time! Too much sitting can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Yikes!

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Can we talk about how much I adore salmon? Salmon is loaded with Omega 3's, amino acids and essential vitamins and minerals that are so good for your body! Not to mention it is so easy to prepare. I typically use a lemon, garlic, and salt/pepper seasoning combo for salmon, but recently my husband was on dinner duty and decided to try a turmeric spiced salmon.

Sunday, March 6, 2016

I hope you're enjoying this beautiful Sunday morning! If you read my meal planning post last week you'll know that Sunday mornings are my favorite. Right now I'm sipping on some ginger tea while scrolling through Pinterest looking for meal planning inspiration.

Last week we talked about my meal planning routine. Specifically how meal planning will change your life and how I plan and prepare for the week ahead. In my post I talked about how I don't pre-plan which meals I'm going to eat on which days. This just doesn't seem to work for me. Instead, I plan out enough meals for the week and decide what I feel like eating each day. I do this because sometimes I don't feel like eating what I had planned on Monday...maybe I'm craving the meal planned for Tuesday instead. You get the idea!

I've included the links to most of the recipes below for you. Happy meal planning!

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

The beginning of a new month is the perfect time for goal setting! I like to think of about 3-5 goals to focus on each month and work to make them happen!
If beginning a new fitness routine is on your list, it's extremely important to ease into a new routine to stay on track and avoid losing motivation.

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Happy Sunday! One of my favorite days of the week! There's something so relaxing about waking up early and taking some time to myself to sip my tea, scroll through Pinterest, and plan out my meals for the week. I am a person who loves food...everything about it! Looking at beautiful pictures of food, strolling through the farmers market for fresh ingredients, and spending time in the kitchen. Whether it's cooking for myself and my husband or cooking for a crowd. I love being in the kitchen and preparing a delicious meal, especially when it's one that I can feel equally good about eating!

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Two years ago I made a life altering decision and began a journey to take control of my health and happiness. I chose to nourish my body with clean whole foods, live an active lifestyle, and do the things that make me happy. I have never felt better!

Choosing to make better food choices, working fitness into your routine, and focusing on your happiness and wellbeing is a complete lifestyle change, but it doesn't have to be difficult, and you don't need to sacrifice the things that you love. Start out by incorporating a few clean whole food recipes into your weekly meal plan, reach for vibrant fruits and vegetables when you're looking for a snack, try a new fitness routine, schedule some "me" time. I guarantee that you will see big improvements in the way that you feel!

Here you'll find clean and simple whole food recipes, fitness tips, and all the things that make me smile. My hope is that this will be a place of encouragement and motivation for you to take control of your own life and find your happiest self, so that you can live life fabulously!

Tomorrow I will be talking about my favorite subject, meal planning! I actually used to dread the idea of planning out my meals, making a grocery list and going to the store, but now I honestly do look forward to it every week. In fact, Sunday's are one of my favorite days of the week because I get so excited for all of the beautiful food I'm going to buy and prepare! I hope that you will join me tomorrow as I share my favorite tips and tricks for planning a successful week of meals!